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What is Zeno’s Dichotomy Paradox? - Colm Kelleher

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Can you ever travel from one place to another? Ancient Greek philosopher Zeno of Elea gave a convincing argument that all motion is impossible - but where's the flaw in his logic? Colm Kelleher illustrates how to resolve Zeno's Dichotomy Paradox.

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TED-Ed Original lessons feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed original? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

Director Candy Kugel

Educator Colm Kelleher

Producer Marilyn Kraemer

Animator Rick Broas

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Additional Resources for you to Explore

Learn more about Colm Kelleher here.Mathematical and logical paradoxes are
a fascinating and important subject - and they’re not all as easily resolved as
Zeno’s! It takes a few minutes to get
there, but here’s a great explanation of (arguably) the most famous paradox in
all of math and all the craziness it led to.Infinite elephants, infinite camels, and more!The video used a clever way of cutting
up a square to prove a seemingly difficult math identity. In fact, it’s often
possible to use diagrams to help you “see” why a particular theorem or identity
is true (Of course it’s still necessary to be able to write down the algebra!).
For instance, check out all the different ways of graphically representing the
proof of the Pythagorean theorem.Other Lessons by Colm:People love eating pizza, but every style of pie has a different consistency. If "New York-style"--thin, flat, and large--is your texture of choice, then you've probably eaten a slice that was as messy as it was delicious. Colm Kelleher outlines the scientific and mathematical properties that make folding a slice the long way the best alternative...to wearing a bib.Have you ever wondered what color is? In this first installment of a series on light, Colm Kelleher describes the physics behind colors-- why the colors we see are related to the period of motion and the frequency of waves.There are three types of color receptors in your eye: red, green and blue. But how do we see the amazing kaleidoscope of other colors that make up our world? Colm Kelleher explains how humans can see everything from auburn to aquamarine.Can we accurately describe light as exclusively a wave or just a particle? Are the two mutually exclusive? In this third part of his series on light and color, Colm Kelleher discusses wave-particle duality and its relationship to how we see light and, therefore, color.

About TED-Ed Originals

TED-Ed Original lessons feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed original? Nominate yourself here »